New to group and worried

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Hi, I had a heart attack about 10 years ago for which a stent was put in my right coronary artery. 2years later they found I had a AAA, they put a stent to resolve this as well. Then about 3 years ago I went to my GP as I felt very tired all the time. They did an ECG and thought I had AF, they put me on rivoraxaban and made me an appointment to see a cardiologist. At the app doc put me on 24 hour holster monitor. I went back to my next appointment and was told I had ectopic beats and not AF. Trouble is I was having roughly 25 per min. So he upped my bisoporal and stopped the rivoraxaban. I had to go back to have a number of tests like echo cardiogram, sonar tests and one I can't remember the name of, the one where you lie on a table with cameras and they insert a probe in your wrist and inject some dye into you. After the test I was in the recovery room and the cardiologist came and said I had 2 problems with my arteries, which were very serious, but the arteries were to small to stent. I had 1 blocked and 1 partially blocked that needed bypass surgery but he wouldn't do it because I have COPD, I also had AF, so they put me back on rivoraxaban 20 mg daily. I had to have a stress test to see if my heart would stand the op. I had the test they wouldn't tell me anything, I have to go back to the cardiologist on 5th Feb 2019. I also have mental health problems, depression, social phobia, ocd, agrophobia

, anxiety and panic attacks, vitamin D deficiency.

I had an appointment with my physc doc and he said I need to get out of the house and go for a daily walk even if its only around the block.

So next day I went for my first walk, I managed about 20 yards and I had to stop as I was gasping for breath I rested for a while and carried on, I managed 5 yards and was gasping again. I had no chest pain or angina etc. So I thought sod this and went back home having to stop halfway to get my breath back. So now I don't know if it's my COPD causing this or my heart.

Heartbleed

2

Wow, you are not very well are you.

Husband has dialated cardiomyopathy or heart failure, his was caused by a virus as his angiogram came back with no blockages, in arteries of heart, apparently he picked the right parents, they heart hospital arenow saying they want our children to also have CAT scan to have a look at their arteries, they are starting to think purely genetic.

Regards walking, telling you to walk around the block is an idiot statement from your Dr, sorry to be sooo blunt, for somebody who has been doing no walking previous.

I will give you my husbands regime, in the hospital he needed help to walk to the ensuite toilet, but at home we started below.

Couch to front door, about 20 steps, put a kitchen chair at the front door if needed, walk before breakfast, before morning tea, before lunch, before afternoon tea, before dinner, and before you go to bed, three times or more a day, at a speed where you can carry on a conversation with partner, yes you may get a little breathless, that's OK, but not too much.

After about 10 days of this, put a chair at the front gate of house, maybe your partner can do this for you, we live in Australia so you may get the idea of a front yard about 18 feet wide, again same as above, take a break if you need to that's what the chair at the front of the house is for.

10 days - Then extend to the neighbours front gate, as the distance expands you can start dropping off the number of times you walk each day.

Husband by 18months post his hospital stay, remember he could not walk to toilet, was walking about 3 1/2 miles around the block, yes its a big block, he had slowly built that distance up over that 18 months.

Cardio Dr's at the hospital were amazed he was doing sooo well, they never expected him to live for more than a few months, well today we are 7 1/2 years on.

Also has lost a considerable amount of weight during the time he walked, have had upps and downs with weight, but does understand that getting rid of the rubbish value food and eating like our great grandparents did is much healthier, no biscuits, no soft drinks, no beer, (half a glass maybe every three months), its become a matter that we laugh at now, and often explain to people why not, so they don't assume its an alcohol issue, for couple of bottles a night man to nothing was tough for a start.

3

Thank you Lyn for your very informative and helpfull reply, I really appreciate it.

Best wishes

Heartbleed